Addresses two questions concerning whole language teaching to young children: (1) What is whole language? (2) What experiences are appropriate for whole language teaching? (BB)

This practicum identified the problem of inconsistent use of developmentally appropriate practices by staff in an early childhood center and implemented an inservice program to increase the use of activities based on individual appropriateness rather than on age alone. The solution strategy utilized a self-assessment survey of classroom practices…

Based on observations, interviews, and review of videotapes with teachers, this book examines why developmentally appropriate practice is difficult to construct in early childhood settings. It focuses particularly on some teachers' simultaneous allegiance to two contradictory frameworks of practice, termed developmentally appropriate practice and…

This revised publication focuses on selection issues relating to multicultural anti-bias curriculum, diversity, and inclusion while giving special consideration to the use of computers in classrooms. The first part of the booklet deals with the learning environment. The first article, "Creating the Learning Environment: Context for Learning…

Expanding on previous collections, this book compiles 16 essays on pedagogical and child development issues stimulated by interaction with teachers, child caregivers, and early childhood teacher educators during the preceding 20 years. The essays were written in response and reaction to particular educational events or contexts that were…

Describes an approach based upon the constructivist model of learning and curriculum development for using the computer as an integrated curriculum tool in early childhood classrooms. Includes discussion of constructivist theory and its application and characteristics of curriculum in constructivist classrooms. (KB)

This working paper describes the development of a child care center in Berlin, Germany, focusing on how the program's pedagogical principles support children's learning, how respect for diversity is integrated in everyday practice, and how program quality and accessibility are defined within a multicultural context. Chapter 1 describes the…

Argues importance of a flexible approach to educating physically and developmentally disabled children, one that allows children to learn and play with attention to age, stages, temperaments, personalities and individual needs. Notes that staff attitudes and willingness to adjust schedules, plans, room arrangement, curriculum, and expectations are…

As a practicum project, a developmentally appropriate training model was designed and implemented in a day care facility with 6 staff members, serving 40 children. Following documentation of the problem areas that inhibited application of developmentally appropriate practices in the particular day care setting, appropriate actions were…

There is a growing consensus among educators that a major reason why traditional curriculum approaches have failed is that they are not based on knowledge of what is age-appropriate or individually appropriate for young children. This book provides practitioners with a practical framework for making curriculum effective and responsive for children…

A training program was implemented for teachers to increase the quality and quantity of developmentally appropriate multicultural education for 2-year-olds at a child care center in which the children and teachers were predominantly Euro-American. The 10-week training program used readings, videos, discussions, and guided imagery to: (1) raise…

This guide for teachers and parents examines child development knowledge, the origins of developmental curriculum, and approaches to implementing such a curriculum in elementary schools. Part one discusses how children develop, the historical background of developmental curricula, the differences between age level and grade level, and the…

In June 1990, the state of Kentucky passed its innovative Education Reform Act, which totally restructured the finance, governance, and curriculum of its public schools. One of the major provisions of the act was the mandate for Kentucky's primary schools to change from the traditional placement of children of the same age in kindergarten, first,…

This curriculum resource book provides a collection of practical ideas that preschool educators can use to provide developmentally appropriate learning experiences for children attending a high quality preschool center. The ideas are designed to concur with the format of standards C-L set forth in the related document: "Standards of Quality and…

Noting that many early childhood practitioners have difficulty understanding and articulating how developmentally appropriate practices in their programs contribute to students' kindergarten readiness, this report details the implementation and evaluation of practicum experiences designed to improve preschool teachers' developmentally appropriate…